Angelonia plant named ‘Lowhiblu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Lowhiblu’ characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly slanting plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large white and violet blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Angelonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘LOWHIBLU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant, botanically known as Angelonia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anwedgim’.

The new Angelonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact and freely-flowering Angelonia plants with attractive flower coloration.

The new Angelonia plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary selection of Angelonia hybrida identified as code number 7036, not patented. The new Angelonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the mutation parent in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since the autumn of 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Angelonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Angelonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lowhiblu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lowhiblu’ as a new and distinct Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly slanting plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large white and violet blue-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the mutation parent primarily in flower color as plants of the mutation parent have solid light blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of Angelonia hybrid ‘Anwedg’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,696. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Anwedg’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Angelonia were shorter than plants of         ‘Anwedg’.     -   2. Plants of the new Angelonia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Anwedg’.     -   3. Plants of the new Angelonia flowered earlier than plants of         ‘Anwedg’.     -   4. Plants of the new Angelonia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Anwedg’.     -   5. Plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Anwedg’ differed in flower         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Angelonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Angelonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lowhiblu’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lowhiblu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following observations, measurements and values were grown during the summer and autumn in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Angelonia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 20° C., night temperatures were about 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were pinched two times, two and six weeks after planting. Plants were five months old when the description was taken and six months old when the photographs were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia hybrida ‘Lowhiblu’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary     selection of Angelonia hybrida identified as code number 7036, not     patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures about             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and outwardly slanting plant habit; broad inverted             triangle; freely branching habit; when pinched, about six to             eight lateral branches develop per plant; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm to 40 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm to 25 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm to 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.             Strength: Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Slightly             pubescent. Color: Close to 145B and 166A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2 cm to 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in             terminal racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly; freely             flowering habit; full dense inflorescences.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about eight to nine weeks after planting; in             the garden, flowering is continuous from mid-May until frost             in Central Europe.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the             plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 137A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 20 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower size.—About 3.3 cm by 3.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five or six in a             single whorl; petals fused at the base into a tubular             throat. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape:             Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire, undulate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 155C; center, close to 94B; center color             becoming closer to 94C with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155C; center, close to             94C. Throat: Close to 144C, 155C and 94B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 137A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Angle: Outward to slightly upright, less than 90° from             vertical. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to             155C. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Brown to grey. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma             color: Close to 155D. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:             Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 142B.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color:             Close to 177B.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About 30 to 50. Length: Less             than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Light brown. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Angelonia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Angelonia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named ‘Lowhiblu’ as illustrated and described. 